The Biography of Ben Solo
by zooropa1
Summary: Eulogy


The little boy, so serious, sat waiting in front of his uncle. He wanted to please his mother but she had sent him away. What was he to think of this? How was he supposed to feel?

Han and Leia had argued about this.

_"__We're not sending him off with a stranger; Luke is family. He trained me."_

_"__Oh, right, Ben's a Skywalker, I'm just the father."_

_"__Han, this isn't about you."_

_"__You were an adult. He's just a kid."_

_"__And he's already experimenting with using the Force. It's strong with him. Luke trained with Yoda; he knows more about the ways of the Jedi than I do."_

_"__Who says he has to be a Jedi? Why can't he be, I don't know, a pilot? A diplomat? A smuggler? Or a bantha herder for crying out loud?"_

That was the night his father left.

He was four years old.

Luke projected utter calm, legs crossed, eyes closed. He had nine students before him, leading them in meditation.

"Close your eyes. Quiet your mind. Focus on the here and now."

Ben tried to follow instructions but it was hard for him. The whispering Voices in his head vied for his attention but one was becoming louder than the rest.

He was eight years old.

At nights in the twilight of sleep, The Voice would speak to Ben. The Voice was his companion. Patient but persistent, undertstanding and seductive, encouraging him to experiment with the Force harmlessly, casually. Effortlessly. Teaching him another point of view.

_'__Where's the harm? The Force is a useful tool but the Dark side is stronger. You access it through your emotions. Learn to bend the Force to your will. Like your emotions, you will control it, use it for your own purposes, not those of others. You were born with this gift. It is your birthright. Use it, own it, control it. You can't ignore it. Stop resisting and let it flow through you.'_

During the occassional period of unstructured time the students were allowed, Ben would go into the jungle to run his own, more strenuous, training course. When he felt the Force flowing through him, he studied the cycle of Life and Death amoung the insects. He experimented with influencing their behaviour, getting them to act against their own self-interest. In time he would work his way through fish, birds, mammals, overiding their base instincts - including their will to survive.

He was twelve years old.

The training temple expanded to two dozen students. As an older student, Ben was respected by some of the others. Slowly he built a small cadre around himself, passing along some of the lessons The Voice had taught him and some he had taught himself. This did not go unnoticed.

That fateful night, Luke went to Ben's room to probe. He reached out with the Force which showed him a Vision. Fear. Terror. Death. Destuction. His nephew at the heart of it all. He recoiled. He ignited his light sabre. Raised it.

The Voice - Snoke - spoke to the boy who awakened and sensed the danger. He froze.

Luke hesitated.

Ben summoned his light sabre.

_"__Ben, no!"_

Sabres clash.

Ben reached out and pulled the building down on top of his uncle. Climbed out of the rubble. Gathered his closest allies. He offered the rest of the students a choice. Join or die. Killed the disenters himself to solidifiy his dominence. His followers burned the temple and other buildings. He stole a transport and led them to Snoke.

He was sixteen years old.

The snow on the ground. Another forest. And she was holding her own. Again. Stronger than their last encounter. He pinned her against the tree. They locked sabres.

_"__You need a teacher. I can show you the ways of the Force."_

Snoke's interference worked to his advantage. With every encounter, whether in person or through the Force, he did teach her by using each opportunity as a chance to probe her weaknesses and defenses. He deftly manipulated her at every turn. He never lied to her, just told her the truth from a certain point of view.

He killed Snoke. They fought back to back. in the throne room.

_"__You come from nothing. You are nothing. But not to me." He offered her his hand._

They fought face to face on the ruins of the Death Star. He heard another, familar Voice. Distracted, he fell to her blade. Not fatal but she chose to heal his body anyway.

_"__You wanted to take my hand."_

_"__I did want to take your hand. Ben Solo's hand."_

They fought in concert in the Sith Temple. Side by side they faced the Emperor. He was cast into the pit. She died but he chose to give her his life force. He died in her arms and returned to the Force.

He was twenty-one years old.


End file.
